Oil filler cap with swivel hose fittings

ABSTRACT

An improved oil filler cap is presented, designed to support the reintroduction of super clean oil from a bypass oil filter attached to a gasoline or diesel engine. The improved filler cap is designed to be shorter in height than state-of-the-art bypass filler caps, removing an unneeded structure supporting the nozzle receiving the super clean oil. This invention is directed towards vehicles with low hood clearance in their engine compartments.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to lubrication fluid filtrationand fluid temperature control components and systems for internalcombustion engines, gasoline, diesel, and compressed natural gas (CNG)and more particularly to a means for conveniently flowing thelubricating fluid back into the engine.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are generally two methods of fluid filtration used to clean thelubricating oil for internal combustion engines. One method, which isused by virtually all internal combustion engines, is commonly referredto within the industry as full flow filtration. Full flow filtersreceive oil under pressure from the engine oil pump, direct the oilunder the same pressure to flow through the filtering element and thenunder pressure to flow through the engine's internal oil passageways toall the lubricated components. The oil, then under zero or very lowpressure will flow by gravity back to the oil sump for the cycle torepeat.

The other method of fluid filtration is to add to the engine full flowlubricating system a secondary filter with a much denser filtering mediafor the purpose of filtering the oil to a much cleaner level than ispossible with full flow filtration only This secondary filter iscommonly referred to as a bypass filter.

Typically, bypass filters are separate devices and are plumbed toreceive oil under pressure from a pressurized port on the engine andreturn the oil to the sump under zero or very low pressure. Bypassfilters typically receive only about 5-10% of the volume of oil thatflows through the full flow filter and are generally effective to“superclean” the oil.

The larger truck and bus type diesel and CNG engines usually areprovided by their manufacturer with one or more oil pressure ports andnon-pressurized oil return ports. These are typically utilized for theinstallation of a bypass filter. The smaller diesel engines, such asthose used for pick-up trucks, small delivery vans, and passengerautomobiles as well as most automotive gasoline engines are not usuallyequipped with a pressurized oil port and even more rarely with anon-pressurized port to receive the return flow from a bypass filter oran aftermarket oil cooler.

This invention pertains to the return of oil from the bypass filtrationunit to the lubrication system of internal combustion engines.

In applications where there is need to return the superclean oil from abypass filter and a non-pressurized port is not available, it has becomecommon practice to modify the oil filler cap to receive a fitting thatthe oil return hose can be connected to. While this makes it possible toreturn the oil to an engine that does not otherwise have anon-pressurized port, it is still inconvenient because the hoseconnection must first be loosened in order to twist or unscrew the oilfiller cap to remove it in order to add engine oil. Oil return from anoil cooler can also be directed to the oil filler cap, and the presentinvention addresses this need as well.

The inconvenience of having to loosen the hose connection has beenaddressed in prior art devices where a swiveling hose connection fittingis available to be retrofitted to an oil filler cap. While nominallysolving one problem, these swivel devices tend to add additional heightto the oil filler cap that sometimes interferes with the hood closure oncertain vehicles with low profile engine compartment hoods.

The present invention addresses a specific requirement for some vehicleengines that need a low-profile engine oil filler cap with an inputswivel mount that is short enough to fit under stock engine compartmenthoods.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide an after-market oilfiller cap to meet the requirements for fitting under the enginecompartment hood for specific gasoline and diesel vehicles.

It is an object of the present invention to provide such an oil fillercap in an improved, screw-and-lock-down version.

It is an object of the present invention to provide such an oil fillercap with a swivel nozzle for connection to the bypass oil filter outputor oil cooler output.

It is an object of the present invention to provide this invention in alow-cost implementation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a shorter swiveling pipe fitting on thetop of an after market oil filler cap, compatible with bypass filteroutflows from dual flow oil filters, from separate bypass filtersoperating alongside standard full-flow-oil filters, or from oil coolers.The present invention is also compatible with OEM connector methodology,designed to mate with all available connecting methods for fillernozzles.

The invention provides a substantially shorter swiveling pipe fittingthan do state of the art swivel designs for oil filler caps. Theswiveling pipe fitting is mated into the body of the oil filler capwithout the extender that is provided by the state of the art system.The present invention eliminates the need for a swivel body supportingthe pipe fitting, providing a substantially shorter swiveling pipefitting.

Another important feature of the present invention is that it brings thecenter of gravity of the oil filler cap swiveling pipe fitting down andconveys greater rigidity to the structure by virtue of a shorter leverarm for forces to act on. With a swiveling pipe fitting extending abovethe oil filler cap several inches less, the oil filler cap can be usedin vehicles with low hood clearance, such as the Ford Motor Company 2003and subsequent year Crown Victoria and Mercury Marquis. Other vehiclescan be serviced by this oil filler cap as well.

There are definite advantages to adding an auxiliary filter to anengine, plus an auxiliary compatible oil filler cap after market. Thepresent invention confers many of these advantages

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1. Prior art filler cap side view

FIG. 2. Prior art filler cap cross section

FIG. 3. Side view of the invention alternate embodiment

FIG. 4. Cross-section view of the invention

FIG. 5. Exploded view of the invention

DETAILED SPECIFICATION

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the prior art oil filler cap 100compatible with a bypass filter output possess an oil filler cap 105, anO-ring 102, a swivel plug 101, a retaining ring 104, and an oil fillercap gasket 103. There is an oil filler cap swivel mount 107 that restsin an oil filler cap bore hole 108. The swivel mount 107 serves as abase for the swivel holder 101 and swivel nozzle 109 that connects to ahose leading from the bypass output of the oil filtration system (notshown).

The length of the swivel mount 107 forces the swivel nozzle 109 severalinches above the top of the oil filler cap 105. This distance preventsthe use of the prior art device in certain vehicles due to clearanceunder the engine compartment hood when the hood is closed.

In FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the present invention 120 is shown to possesssimilar features as follows: an oil filler cap 125, an O-ring gasket122, a snap ring 124, and an oil filler cap gasket 123. The presentinvention 120 does not possess a swivel mount 107 as does the state ofthe art device. Rather, a cylindrical hole 128 has been provided and anO-ring gasket 122 is placed around the circumference of the swivelholder 130 which is fitted into the oil filler cap 125, held in place bythe snap ring 124 and the swivel nozzle 129 screwed into the swivelholder 130. Removing the swivel mount 107 and replacing it with a directconnection between the oil filler cap 125 and the swivel holder 130shortens the invention 120 compared to the prior art device 100,permitting its use in a larger number of vehicles with low hoodclearances.

In FIG. 3 and FIG. 5, the lock-down screw slot 132 is shown, whereby thecap can be locked down onto the oil filler opening (not shown) when sucha feature is available on the vehicle oil filler opening.

This invention has other applications, potentially, and one skilled inthe art could discover these. The explication of the features of thisinvention does not limit the claims of this application; otherapplications developed by those skilled in the art will be included inthis invention.

1. an improved engine oil filler cap, the engine oil filler capcomprised of a filler cap, an O-ring, a swivel plug, a snap ring, aswivel nozzle, and an oil filler cap gasket, the filler cap possessing acylindrical hole through its center, the cylindrical hole lined with acylindrical hole gasket on its circumference, the swivel plug possessinga cylindrical receptacle threaded with screw threads, the swivel nozzlepossessing an input and a cylindrical lower part covered with screwthreads.
 2. A method of assembling an engine oil filler cap as in claim1, the method comprised of the steps of inserting an O-ring into thecircumference of the cylindrical hole in the filler cap, fitting theswivel plug into the cylindrical hole of the filler cap until it seats,inserting the snap ring above the swivel plug under the rim of thecylindrical hole, screwing the swivel nozzle into the cylindricalreceptacle of the swivel plug until it seats, inserting the oil fillercap gasket into the underside of the filler cap, screwing the entireassembly onto an oil filler opening.
 3. A method of using the engine oilfiller cap as in claim 1, comprised of the steps of assembling the oilfiller cap as in claim 2, attaching the output from a bypass oil filter,an oil cooler, or both to the input of the swivel nozzle.